Rotating Helium Valve Head for Watch Case Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing helium valves for scuba diving watches face issues with automatic operation without user control, leading to uncontrolled gas escape or entry in humid environments, and mechanical issues with screw thread connections that can cause sealing problems over time.
Innovation Solution
A helium valve design featuring a head that rotates around a tube without axial movement, utilizing a polymer material with strategically placed orifices and recesses to control gas escape through angular movement, ensuring sealing in both closed and open positions without screw threads, and employing a spring mechanism for sealing and pressure regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw thread connection is used to mount the head on the tube, then the valve can be securely fixed and sealed, but mechanical wear and sealing problems occur over time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the screw thread connection from the valve structure. Instead of using threaded mounting, the head is fixed to the tube body through a press-fit or interference fit arrangement, removing the source of mechanical wear and sealing degradation over time while maintaining secure fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical screw thread connection system with a friction-based press-fit connection. This substitution eliminates the threaded interface that causes wear and sealing issues, using instead a smooth bore fitting that relies on friction and precise dimensional control for secure mounting.
2Extent of automation
If an automatic valve operates without user control, then gas escape is automatic when pressure threshold is reached, but uncontrolled gas entry or escape occurs in humid environments
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a dynamic control mechanism where the head can rotate between different angular positions. This allows the valve to transition between fully closed (sealed) and fully open (gas escape) states, giving the user control over the automatic pressure-release function while preventing uncontrolled gas entry in humid environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameter from purely automatic pressure-based activation to a user-selectable state (closed or open) that can be adjusted by rotating the head. This parameter change allows the user to control whether the valve remains sealed or allows gas escape, preventing problems in humid environments while maintaining automatic pressure regulation capability.
3Reliability
If the head is tightened too much on the tube, then secure sealing is achieved, but the seal is damaged in the long run
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the threaded connection that requires tightening torque, eliminating the trade-off between achieving secure sealing and avoiding seal damage. The press-fit connection achieves sealing through precise dimensional control and friction without requiring excessive tightening force that could damage the seal over time.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If the head is tightened too loosely on the tube, then seal damage is avoided, but the valve remains in open position
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates the threaded connection that creates the tightening dilemma. The press-fit connection provides inherent friction-based retention that securely holds the head in the closed position without requiring excessive tightening, preventing both seal damage and unintended valve opening.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design provides user-intervention-controlled automatic operation, preventing gas entry or escape based on pressure differences while maintaining long-term sealing efficacy without mechanical wear, ensuring the watch's integrity during decompression phases.
Implementation Method 1
The valve comprises a spring mounted inside the tube and surrounded by the polymer material. The spring is compressed between the polymer material and a bearing surface arranged on the lower side of the head.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a safety valve (1) comprising: - a tube (3) intended to be fixed to a watch case (4), - a hollow head (2) mounted to rotate freely around the tube (3) - a first element mounted fixed relative to the head (2) and - a second element attached to the head (2), characterized in that the first element and the second element each have one or more passages (12,13) allowing the flow of a gas, the rotational movement of the head (2) allowing the passages (12,13) of the first element and the second element to be connected for the escape of the gas from the inside to the outside of the case in case of overpressure inside the case (4) or conversely allowing the passages (12,13) of the first element and the second element to be misaligned to prevent the escape of the gas.